Turlock's Kaepernick leads 49ers in Monday night win

Kaepernick’s father reflects on son's first NFL start

Thousands of people in Turlock had their attention set on the hometown kid, Colin Kaepernick, during the San Francisco 49ers' Monday Night Football game against the Chicago Bears.

"Tonight means a lot of things for Turlock. It's wonderful to have someone from your community that gets his dreams and is a success, and has the opportunity to show his abilities," said Susan Quigley, Kaepernick's former neighbor.

Kaepernick made his first NFL start, replacing the injured Alex Smith and guiding the 49ers to a 32-7 win.

Before the game, Rick Kaepernick, Colin's father, shared with KCRA 3 what he told his son after he found out he would start.

“He actually called me late last night, and he said, ‘Dad, I’m going to start.’ And it was really late at night. And I said, 'Really? Good for you.' I said, ‘This is what you’ve been wanting.’”

Kaepernick, 25, was drafted by the 49ers last year.

It wasn’t too long ago that Kaepernick was a three-sport star at Pitman High School in Turlock.

Growing up, Kaepernick carefully maneuvered around opportunities in other sports, including basketball.

“Could have almost went to every school in the country for baseball. He had scholarships all over,” Rick Kaepernick said.

But he insisted on football.

“And he had only one scholarship for football, Nevada,” Rick Kaepernick said. “And he told (Nevada coach) Chris Ault, ‘If you take me for football, I promise you, I won’t play baseball for Nevada.’”

Rick Kaepernick, his adoptive father, said Colin was always competitive.

“He’s a little different,” Rick Kaepernick said. “And so, he always wanted to do everything. So, I would say, 'Colin, I’ll spend the time and we’ll do it, whatever we have to do, but you’re going to be accountable for it and you have to finish it. There’s no quitting.'"

“As a parent, I’m anxious, I’m nervous, but I’m confident Colin will do a good job,” Rick Kaepernick said before the game.

Kaepernick threw for 243 yards and two touchdowns with no turnovers in the 49ers win.

"My hat is the first that Colin signed after he was drafted," said another former neighbor, Richard Old. "He came home the next morning and we were outside -- he went in and got a hat and signed it for me."

KCRA 3's Mallory Hoff contributed to this report.

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